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  • footballsexrocknroll 22:40 on September 20, 2012 Permalink | Reply
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    The Thankless Task: The Curse Of Being A Manchester United Goalkeeper 

    There’s no denying that we’ve had some ups and downs over the replacements of our long serving goalkeepers over the years, the tirade of goalkeepers that followed in the years after Peter Schmeichel left ranged from promising, to terrifying, to supposedly good until they were hit by what appeared to be a United goalkeeping curse, and sometimes ending in, Fergie, dude, what were you thinking?

    There was Taibi, Bosnich, Barthez, Carroll, Ricardo, Goram, and even Van Der Gouw who had served as second choice to Peter. Now Taibi, despite his dubious moments was brilliant for at least the majority of his debut in the Liverpool game, considering he only played four games for us, that’s not bad going. Yes, Southampton and Chelsea are the ones that stick in your head but the boy did have some talent, the saves he made showed that, but a bit of talent isn’t enough to be a top class goalkeeper. I’ll never for the life of me understand why we resigned Bosnich. Yes he was decent at Villa, but we had already decided he wasn’t good enough. If someone proposes to you and you tell them no; saying yes a decade later because no one else came along really isn’t going to ensure you happiness in any shape or form.

    I’m still assuming that we signed Barthez because he had a really shiny head/world cup winner’s medal. Either that or it was a ploy to finally get Laurent Blanc to sign for United the following season, luring him with the promise of getting to kiss Barthez’ head on much more regular basis. I’m not calling Barthez a bad goalkeeper. He made great saves a plenty for us. But you should never look for an entertainer as a goalkeeper, and Barthez was nothing if not entertaining. The lack of consistency made his reign more painful to watch than the attempts of any other goal keeper, because more was expected of him. After all, he was a World Cup Winner. With, as previously mentioned, a really shiny head. (More …)

     

    • Jez Evans 22:09 on September 24, 2012 Permalink | Reply

      Really great read!

      Whilst you could argue that De Gea’s lack of first team games could hamper his progression, you could just as easily say that the competition means he won’t rest on his laurels and will work twice as hard thus ultimately becoming better. Look at Tim Howard. Perhaps if he’d been in a similar position as De Gea is now, with someone really pushing him, he’d have turned out better. He arrived like De Gea, young and inexperienced (not as young but still young) but as you allude to in the article, Fergie stuck with him for the first season at least, but you could argue his mistakes were never stamped out because he was undisputed first choice despite them. Now, if De Gea makes a mistake he’s dropped. I reckon this could bring the best out of him eventually. If De Gea kept goal despite his mistakes, we could have another Tim Howard. Time will tell and it could go either way…

      Agree about Foster though, I was really happy to see a young English keeper with massive potential looking set to become our eventual number 1. Complete idiot though as you say…

  • footballsexrocknroll 15:59 on June 22, 2012 Permalink | Reply  

    The World Supports Club England…But WHY Should I!!?? 

    I’ve lived in England for eight years now, I’m 26 and thus I have spent more than a third of my life in England (more specifically, 4/13s). However, I’m not English, nor will I ever be. I grew up in Norway, I’m Norwegian, and proud to be. So why does it come as such a surprise to people when I explain to them that I don’t support England?

    It’s fair to say that I know one or two English United fan, some of which support England, some of which do not. But when it comes to social networking sites it appears to me that so many of the people going gaga about England, like me, aren’t English. I understand why some English United fans don’t support England. I also understand those who do. What I don’t understand are those who support a country in a competition with the same passion that they would show their club team, especially when their own country is also in the competition.

    Maybe I am missing something??

    Maybe England as a team are just that ‘special’ that they rile up that kind of passion in people…except really they’re not are they? (More …)

     

    • Dave 13:55 on June 23, 2012 Permalink | Reply

      I dont see why you should be expected to support England your stance is perfectly logical,from a personal view I wouldnt expect you to.Your not Enlglish so would not have any emotional ties to it,I have lived half my life in Canada still support England always will,it’s the same for United they are apart of my fabric so I understand your position

    • museluver 17:43 on June 25, 2012 Permalink | Reply

      HAVING to support or be a fan of England when not English shouldn’t be mandatory, is there no link or connection at all? My personal reaction is “I was born in this country, on the phone you wouldn’t know I was of African decent, only my surname and skin colour do that job. I’ve lived in this country for 26 years”, cut me some slack.

      If I’ve been to Nigeria and they consider me English, but in this country I’m considered Nigerian, how come everyone shuts up and realises that I’m allowed to be apathetic about National Football.

  • footballsexrocknroll 19:40 on August 13, 2011 Permalink | Reply  

    The expectations of a new season 

    “Do you think we’ll win the league?” The new season is only kicking off this weekend and already I have been asked this question more times than I would like to count. Of course we can win the league I answer. We’re Man United (please, everyone, do not read that and finish it with “we’ll do what we want”), we can always win the league. Not always because we’re the best team, not always because we’re the genuine favourites, but because we expect it. And we wish for it. And we’re special.

    (More …)

     

    • Philip Gatt 08:56 on August 14, 2011 Permalink | Reply

      Very well written article, and I agree with everything you said.

      I always say it’s all about the league, especially as one who remembers most of them 26 barren years. Even now that United have won the 19th title, I want them to keep winning it every season, and every time they do so, I feel like the first one I remember them winning in 1993.

      Well done on a very good post. COME ON UNITED!!!

      • footballsexrocknroll 12:58 on August 14, 2011 Permalink | Reply

        Thanks.

        Winning the Premiership for the first time is always going to be one of my favourite and best memories of supporting United. I honestly think that the league is ALWAYS the most important thing. It means the most, it’s the toughest trophy and nothing puts a bigger smile on my face than seeing the lads lift that trophy.

        Thank goodness the league is back, it’s been a long enough summmer!! COME ON REDS!!

  • footballsexrocknroll 13:01 on July 12, 2011 Permalink | Reply  

    TF Chronicles: The MUFC Depression Of Summer Is Nearly Over.. 

    I’ve spent the last two months trying to write something even semi interesting about football, I won’t lie, I’ve really struggled. As a football fan you spend your entire season waiting for May. It doesn’t matter whether you’re fighting to stay up, chasing a place in Europe or battling for trophies; May’s the month where it’s (usually) all decided. However, once May’s been and gone you’d give your left leg for August to be there. Well, unless you’re Heather Mills, in which case you would just buy the league and banish summer holidays instead. (may be a bit too far a joke for the Faithful?)

    I started out writing a blog about what a football fan could be doing to pass the time when there is no (Premiership) football on. That was a month ago now, and I’m still pretty stuck on it. As it turns out, there really isn’t much you can do to fill the void your team leaves when they go on their fancy holidays or intensive marriage counselling getaways. With every average and above player being linked to every average and above team, even football news make depressing reading during the summer. There are only so many times you can read about a player’s “love” for a certain club, before you feel almost as nauseous as when your team is facing a penalty shoot out. Not to mention how many times you can hear people’s Football Manager infused opinions on which players we should sign because they would be UH-mazing. Never mind that they play for a tiny team in Uzbekistan and no one outside of their village even knows who they are, and the ones who do know them rate them only marginally above Dong.

    (More …)

     

    • Sarah 13:08 on July 12, 2011 Permalink | Reply

      Totally summed up my feelings. Not long to wait… thank god!

    • Anthony 23:10 on July 13, 2011 Permalink | Reply

      Love it Sil! You speak the minds of many right now..

  • footballsexrocknroll 14:04 on April 4, 2011 Permalink | Reply  

    The Modern Footballer – Are We Too Quick To Forgive & Forget? 

    I remember reading about Nobby Stiles crying as he announced that he was selling his World Cup winner’s medal from 1966. To leave his sons an inheritance he was willing to give up a World Cup final medal along with the medal he got when the Babes won the European Cup in 1968. Keep that in mind whilst you consider whether today’s footballers will have to make that same sacrifice when in their golden years.

    It’s not going to happen of course. Footballers today have the benefit of knowing that if they retired from playing tomorrow there are plenty of TV channels willing to pay out plenty of £’s to have an ex footballer on their show. Never mind that most of them know nothing about the game beyond having the ability to kick a ball. Those who haven’t spent all their money on escorts and cars bound for the scrap yard may even find they’re able to retire completely. Football has increasingly become a game ruled by money and some players earn more in a year than most do in a lifetime. It really is no wonder that we’re saying a goodbye to any hopes of loyalty, and a bittersweet hello to yet another aspect ruining the game. (More …)

     

    • RedScot 19:20 on April 7, 2011 Permalink | Reply

      Ha Ha.Footballsexrocknroll.Interesting you leave out drugs.Thats the probem we have here, when we discuss United.Its a drug the only team in Manchester, no the World.We as fans dont consider being disloyal to our Club or what the history of the Club represents.Effectively we are caught, hook line and sinker.In the keep net.To wish for our players to display the same devotion to Manchester United as fans or the likes of Ryan Giggs,Paul Scholes and as an example Darren Fletcher,Darron Gibson to all be one Club players is unrealistic.Once a Blue always a Blue,springs to mind rather easily and slips of the tongue with ease and spoken from the heart,surely.Do not get me wrong,I like the author, adored Wayne Rooney,I defended him as best as little old me could, during the skulduggery over, out of marriage activities.That was not my “buisness” to me the press and general media would do enough damage to him and his lovely family without a nobody like me giving him on a United forum more grief.
      What I could not abide or tolerate, Rooney questioning Sir Alex (That man who has devoted 25 years to United) publically contradicting “the ankle injury” double dealing on Uniteds ambitions to side with the Glazer,simply to appear like the fans voice.
      For me, I cant shout against him Rooney, in fact I personally have mellowed of recent and even have called him Wayne/Wazza on forums etc.I think I am forgetting my principles when I do this,but I believe its more important for the Club to win everything currently in our so close grasp.That for me demands I set aside vendettas and distaste towards him.Club before individual.He can go a long way to build bridges and I want him to play the part that we saw last season prior to the Bayern game in Germany,up to that point in time,he had simply been “world class”.
      On part of the topic, the wages the players earn, means not a jot to me,they operate in a world we can only dream and watch in awe and imagine what it must be like to enjoy that lifestyle and play and train to perform a “sport” we all love.My weekly wage is less than £150, I only mention that to highlight,money is not everything and happiness is not achieved with money.As I think Rooney is struggling to cope with,although has some very deviant people advising him.
      The media will do their worst to destroy Rooney as we have witnessed over the last few days,to hang him out to dry.I cant accept this from outside the United family, he is ours.We can discuss him and be balanced and fair when measuring him at United, not like “ABU’s” who just are determined to bring down the whole United machine.
      I note you say, the players when they finish at their respective Clubs, can get a job in TV! Are you meaning Robbie Savage, that vile of putrid “pundit” on ESPN.Now there is someone to easily through up over, and you would not wish to stop slapping. lol

    • Kokka78 19:22 on April 7, 2011 Permalink | Reply

      As usual a spot on article hun! Of course players nowdays are totally different from the past is not usual to find players like Ryan Giggs, Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Del Piero spending their entire career in a single club, and when you find a player like this you know they doing it cos of the love for the club and the game, not for the amounts of pounds they can get! (well of course money are part of it).

      All we get from the papaers, is which players slept with or which players has been charge for this and that…As you said papaers they care more to talk about the trash stuff rather than football.

      When we signed Rooney i was over the moon, i mean we were buying the new brighest star in english football, and that game v Everton that kiss made me love him so so much! I’m ashemed to say so but i was in doubt on which shirt to buy, Giggsy or Rooney one? (please don’t slap me!!!).

      When the news came out last October, i felt betrayed by him, there’s not better place to Manchester United to win trophies, so i coulodn’t really understand why he set a reaquest to leave! Make up some extra money to pay the “miss” he slept with while his wife was pregnant? Ahhh what a bad taste that choice.

      I was angry, neither when Ronaldo left i felt so betrayed, at least i was preparared to see him go, i knew he wanted to leave , leaving a huge hole in our team.

      But still i adore him and consider Ronaldo a true United legend cos he won and made us won a lot!

      As for Rooney, personally is not about forgiving for me, is about being able to cheer up for him, supporting him while playing for us.
      When United announced he would had stay i refused to celebrate for any goal (even if was a winner) he scored.

      Im not going to forgive or forget, but i feel the need to sign his name and support the team which include him as well.

      But in the whole story its damn weird how Fergie dealed with it! it’s very unusual he let someone beheave like this.

      Having said that, respect for the lad is gone for now and i can’t deny i hope in some way he win it back.
      But players old style are not anymore, but still we lucky enough to have people like Scholes and Giggs, is going to be a a year of tears once they retires!

    • Sportmonkeyx 19:48 on April 7, 2011 Permalink | Reply

      I don’t think we are too quick to forgive and forget, but some may be too easily persuaded that such occurances in football are almost impossible. Football is a business. In the main, the manager who you adore, the player you worship, they could all leave.

      The European Cup winning striker who goes to play for that lot over the other side of the City… AND the other European Cup winning striker who used to be assistant manager for us and still made the move to the other side of the city… it all happened and it will again. The only constant, the ONLY constant, is ironically enough… the Faithful (I’m here all week). The United fan. They never leave, except for when they do and they start up a breakaway team and well….erm… Splitters!

      The problem isn’t Wayne Rooney. He possibly had his eyes on a better paypacket in a similar job, close to home where he wouldnt have to move far. He’s taken the same step before, Wayne ‘Once a blue…” Rooney is not above sniffing out a better deal. It’s how we got him from Everton in the first place, you could say. United arent above paying him their own better deal to keep him. Football is business.

      The problem is perhaps a naivety amongst United fans, especially if they never in their heart of hearts see these things coming. I wouldn’t want to knock the idealistic view out of those fans, but it may well lead to the same reactions somewhere down the road.

      I felt the same about Eric Cantona, was devastated when he flew back to France in a strop. I was happy when Ferguson talked him into coming back. Manchester United football club isnt about any one player.

    • RedScot 22:00 on April 7, 2011 Permalink | Reply

      @Sportmonkeyx Yikes you were around when Brian Kidd played in the 68 final.You must be able to tell a story or two!
      As you say the football club is not about one player!

    • Mancunian Red 23:45 on April 8, 2011 Permalink | Reply

      Denis Law asked for more money and wanted to leave if he didn’t get it. Busby lied and told everyone he had put the Lawman on the transfer list.

      The truth is Busby paid the Lawman what he wanted and let everyone think he had put him on the transfer list making him look strong.

      No one has ever or will ever muck the club about more than George Best. Ruud wanted to leave after his first season at OT Robbo was desperate to leave United but for injuries and the foreign player rule it would have happened. Keane held the club to ransom to get his 100,000 a week.

      The Law man is still the true king, Robbo and Best two of our greatest ever players along with Rooney.

      I have a lot of respect for Rooney, he made a mistake, he corrected it, apologised and is carrying us on his back again. What he said was the truth we do need major rebuilding.

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